47

Gr.—l

and later another Native was allowed to remain on 25 acres. By 1878 portions of tlie land were leased and tlie rents appropriated to certain Natives. There is nothing on record to show that these sections were originally the New Zealand Company's " tenths." They are not included in Mr. Halswell's selections, which were made in 1842. and it is more likely that they were set aside by some informal arrangement or appropriated by the Ngatitawa Tribe. In any case, they were considered to be Native reserves in 1883, and they were included in Schedule D of the Native Reserves Act, 1873. Mr. A. Mackay, when Commissioner of Native Reserves, drew attention to the mistake which had occurred in the numbering of the sections. According to him, Section 2 should be Section 7, and he advised the Public Trustee that the rents for Sections 4 and 7 should be distributed to the beneficial owners of the North Island " tenths," while Section 3 was owned by a separate group of Natives. The confusion which always existed was definitely cleared up in 1925, when the Native Trustee applied, to the Native Land Court, under section 16 of the Native Reserves Act, 1882, to ascertain and determine the persons beneficially entitled to the land. After inquiry the Court ordered that the beneficial owners of the North Island " tenths " were also the beneficial owners of Pakuratahi Sections 4 and 7, and that Section 3, Pakuratahi, was owned beneficially by three other Natives. Sections 4 and 7, therefore, become part of the remaining country reserve included in the New Zealand Company's selection, while Section 3 is a separate reserve. NELSON TOWN SECTIONS. A. R. P. Originally reserved in 1842 . . .. . . . . .. .. . . 100 0 0 Withdrawn in 1848 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 47 0 0 Balance remaining in 1848 .. .. .. .. .. 53 0 0 Less further reductions : — A. r. p. May and July, 1864 : Part Section 344 sold .. .. 0 234 July, 1870 : Sections 266 and 269 exchanged with Messrs. Curtis Bros, for Section 946 (one section lost on exchange) 10 0 Section 521 and 522 reduced in area by river erosion .. 0 210 —2 1 4 Balance remaining as per schedule to 1873 Act .. .. .. .. 50 2 36 Note. —(1) The loss of one section on exchange was due to two sections (No. 266 and 269) having been exchanged on 7th July, 1870, with Messrs. Curtis Bros, for one section—viz., No. 946. This exchange was evidently effected upon a valuation basis. (2) Sections 521 and 522, which were originally 1 acre each, are bracketed in the Schedule to the 1873 Act as together containing 1 acre 1 rood 30 perches. In the first property-book contained in the records of the Native Trust Office the entry for Section 521 (see folio 87) shows that " on consideration of river-encroachment the annual rent was reduced." As the north-east boundary of both sections is the River Maitai, the reduction in area of 2 roods 10 perches between the years 1842 and 1873 was no doubt due to river erosion. NELSON COUNTRY SECTIONS. Originally reserved in 1842 — A. r. p. Moutere District .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 950 0 0 Motueka District .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,050 0 0 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,000 0 0 Less following reductions : — A. r. p. November, 1865 : Part Section 161 sold . . . . 10 0 December, 1870 : Part Section 146 sold .. .. 13 3 20 Granted to Bishop of New Zealand .. .. 918 0 5 932 3 25 Balance remaining .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,067 0 15 The schedule to the 1873 Act gives the following areas :— Moutere . . .. .. . . . . .. .. . . 950 0 0 Motueka .. .. . . .. . . .. .. . . 3,017 015 Takaka .. .. .. .. . . . . .. . . 150 0 0 4,117 0 15 There is a difference, therefore, of 50 acres, which is one complete section. On referring to the Schedule of the 1873 Act it is found that Section 72 has crept in. This section was never originally a Native reserve, and there is no record in the published deeds of its having been dealt with by exchange. It is assumed, therefore, that it came under the control of the Commissioners by virtue of section 14 of the Native Reserves Act, 1856, and thus became a reserve.